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Liu, Andrew ( Massachusetts Institute of Technology )
Jenkin, Michael ( York University )
Aoki, Hirofumi ( Massachusetts Institute of Technology )
Our specific aims were:
1) To quantify how environmental geometric frame and object polarity cues determine human visual orientation, to support engineering and design of spacecraft work areas.
2) To develop reliable means for quantifying head-movement-contingent oscillopsia.
3) To determine whether preflight virtual reality techniques can improve astronaut 3D spatial memory and navigation abilities by reducing direction vertigo, and teaching ISS configuration and emergency egress routes.
4) To improve astronaut teleoperation performance by taking into account the mental object rotation and perspective taking abilities of individuals while training and during operations. By June 2007, we completed all 4 specific aims and all 6 experimental series originally proposed. York studied 1) visual frame and polarity effects in tilted rooms and in an immersive visual virtual environment (IVY), examining the effect of room aspect ratio and observer field of view, 2) the perceptual upright as measured using a new OCHART method ("p" vs. "d" letter recognition) and analyzed results using a linear vector summation model, and 3) quantified oscillopsia during Coriolis stimulation using a new visual feedback technique. The “p/d” method provides us with a way of assessing the perceptual vertical without requiring the subject to make a judgment of tilt with respect to the gravitational vertical – a constraint that has confounded many previous investigations of perceived vertical in ground and 0-g experiments (e.g., Witkin, Mittlestaedt, Howard, Oman). Experiments in IVY, manipulating the floor/ceiling aspect ratio of simple frame interiors, demonstrated that the surface perceived to be "the floor" depends on the aspect ratio in a predictable way that could be mathematically modeled. Several additional experiments were also performed. One showed that the strength of the “levitation” visual reorientation illusion depends on scene content (scene viewed), rather than geometric field of view (view seen). Another showed that the weighting of visual and non-visual cues for orientation was affected by Parkinsonism.
MIT completed a series of 4 "relearning reoriented spacecraft modules" experiments, designed to simulate the training experience of astronauts who learn the interiors of individual spacecraft modules in a locally upright configuration in ground simulators, but who have to make spatial judgments when the modules are assembled in a different “flight” configuration. We showed that subjects remember each module in a visually upright, canonical orientation, and therefore had to make mental rotations in order to inter-relate the two modules. This year MIT tested different “flight” configurations, and found that performance was best when visual verticals were co-aligned, intermediate for 180 deg orientations, and worst when modules were rotated through 90 degrees. Our results account for the visualization difficulties and disorientation previously reported by Apollo, Mir and ISS astronauts when transiting certain areas of their spacecraft. The result could be easily translated into a design standard for space stations and docked vehicle operations. MIT also completed two “ISS emergency egress training” studies of 3D, 6 degree of freedom navigation performance, quantifying the effect of training in a locally vs. globally “upright” configuration, with and without smoke obscuration. Most subjects learned quickly, but performance correlated with individual 3D mental rotation and perspective taking skills. This study, led by Dr. Aoki, won the 2007 Young Investigator award from the Aerospace Medical Association's Space Medicine Branch. This year we also compared performance of subjects trained using with a non-immersive laptop display with a similar sized group tested last year using an immersive display. Although immersive displays better simulate the vestibular and haptic cues required to orient spatially, our subjects performed almost as well using the laptop. Finally, as planned, MIT completed development of a space telerobotic training simulator, and showed that individual mental rotation and persepctive taking abilities influence performance during training.
Results of the York and MIT studies have been presented at several international meetings and full manuscripts have been published or are currently in submission. Dr. Oman also published a review article on visual orientation in microgravity which summarizes our research in a broader context.
At MIT, our Remote Manipulation Workstation system developed by Dr. Liu was completed, and Alejandra Menchaca-Brandan completed two studies on the influence of perspective-taking and mental rotation abilities on performance during simulated space tele-operation training. Performance was shown to correlate with perspective taking and mental rotation tests. Results formed the basis for a successful NSBRI RFA0701 proposal on teleoperation training. In the area of spatial memory, Claire Cizaire studied of how subjects learn to judge the relative orientation of two docked modules with locally consistent but incongruently aligned interior visual verticals have shown that subjects naturally tend to remember each module in a visually upright orientation. Individual performance was found to correlate with mental rotation and perspective taking skills, and also to depend on relative body orientation, and the relative orientation of the modules. In the area of navigation performance, Dr. Hirofumi Aoki of MIT concluded our studies of 3D, 6 degree of freedom navigation in a simulated ISS emergency egress task. Last year, we studied the effect of training in a locally vs. globally “upright” configuration, with and without smoke obscuration. This year, we prepared results for publication, and also repeated the study with a second group of 36 subjects comparing performance of subjects trained with a non-immersive (laptop) based version of the task.
1st Annual General Meeting, Canadian Association for Neuroscience, Abstracts, May 2007. , May-2007
Aviat Space Environ Med. 2007 Mar;78(3):240. , Mar-2007
Abstract of platform presentation at 16th IAA Humans in Space Symposium, May 2007, OS22-1-HIS07A070. , May-2007
Submitted for publication, June 2006. , Jun-2006
J Vision. 2006 Jun;6(6):183a. , Jun-2006
Submitted for Publication, June 2006. , Jun-2006
J Vision. 2007 Jun;7(9):303a. , Jun-2007
Submitted for Publication, June 2006. , Jun-2006
Human Vision and Electronic Imaging X, Proceedings of SPIE-IS&T Electronic Imaging, March 2005. Vol 5666, p. 462-472. http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.610858 , Mar-2005
J Vision. 2006 Jun;6(6):185a. , Jun-2006
Submitted for publication, June 2006. , Jun-2006
Proceedings of 34th International Conference of Environmental Systems, July 2004. 04-ICES-177. , Jul-2004
Submitted for publication, June 2006. , Jun-2006
Aviat Space Environ Med. 2006 Mar;77(3):349. , Mar-2006
NASA Human Research Program Investigator's Workshop, Abstracts, 2007. , Feb-2007
Proceedings from Bioastronautics Investigator's Workshop, 2005. , Jan-2005
Submitted for publication, June 2006. , Jun-2006
Aviat Space Environ Med. 2007 Mar;78(3):240. , Mar-2007
Submitted for Publication, June 2006. , Jun-2006
Perception. 2007;36(Suppl):208. http://www.perceptionweb.com/abstract.cgi?id=v070529 , Aug-2007
Perception. 2007;36(Suppl):206-7. http://www.perceptionweb.com/abstract.cgi?id=v070530 , Aug-2007
International Multisensory Research Forum, 7th Annual Meeting, June 2006, Meeting Programme, p. 31. , Jun-2006
Society for Neuroscience 2007. Abstracts, program/poster # 369.4/R15. , Nov-2007
Society for Neuroscience, Abstracts, November 2007. , Nov-2007
J Vision. 2007 Jun;7(9):300a. , Jun-2007
J Vision. 2006 Jun;6(6):731a. , Jun-2006
Paper, 16th IAA Humans in Space Symposium, 2007. , May-2007
Proceedings from the International Conference in Augmented Reality and Tele-existence (ICAT), presentation S10-3, 2004. , Nov-2004
Paper, ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, 2007. , Mar-2007
Liu, Andrew ( Massachusetts Institute of Technology )
Jenkin, Michael ( York University )
Aoki, Hirofumi ( Massachusetts Institute of Technology )
The goal of this multi-institutional neurovestibular project is to develop four types of design, assessment, training, and procedural countermeasures: a) Evidence-based spacecraft architecture and work area design standards. b) Methods for quantitative assessment of inflight and postflight oscillopsia. c) Preflight visual orientation training techniques to reduce disorientation and improve inflight emergency egress. d) Teleoperation procedure and training improvements based on crewmember spatial skills.
Our specific aims are: 1) To quantify how environmental geometric frame and object polarity cues determine human visual orientation, to support engineering and design of spacecraft work areas. 2) To develop reliable means for quantifying head-movement-contingent oscillopsia. 3) To determine whether preflight virtual reality techniques can improve astronaut 3D spatial memory and navigation abilities by reducing direction vertigo, and teaching ISS configuration and emergency egress routes. 4) To improve astronaut teleoperation performance by taking into account the mental object rotation and perspective taking abilities of individuals while training and during operations.
Inflight spatial disorientation, spatial memory, navigation and teleoperation problems, and oscillopsia during re-entry and after landing have been identified as neurovestibular risks by Shuttle, Mir and ISS astronauts, NASA’s Critical Path Roadmap, the Neurovestibular Adaptation Team Strategic Plan, and a National Academy of Sciences committee report. NRA 03-OBPR-04 solicits research to determine what spacecraft architectures, interior visual cues, and preflight orientation training techniques will minimize inflight disorientation.
The project utilizes the unique virtual reality research capabilities at York and MIT. Six sets of experiments are being conducted: 1) Measuring the effect of environmental geometry (frame) cues using psychophysical techniques (York). 2) Assessing the influence of polarized objects on self-orientation perception using psychophysical judgments (York). 3) Assessing the extent and pattern of head-contingent oscillopsia and visual motion (York). 4) Effect of training module orientation on inflight direction vertigo (MIT). 5) Influence of relative body orientation in preflight visual orientation and egress training (MIT). 6) Correlation of spatial abilities with simulated space station remote manipulator training performance(MIT).
At MIT, our studies of how subjects learn to judge the relative orientation of two docked modules with locally consistent but incongruently aligned interior visual verticals have shown that subjects naturally tend to remember each module in a visually upright orientation. Individual performance correlates with mental rotation and perspective taking skills, and also depends on relative body orientation, and the relative orientation of the modules. Pilot tests suggest that it is the number of successive mental rotations required about principal environmental axes that determines orientation difficulty, and may explain the docked module visualization difficulties previously reported by Apollo, Mir and ISS astronauts. This year we also developed an immersive VR 3D navigation simulation based on an ISS emergency egress task, and have studied the effect of training in a locally vs globally “upright” configuration, with and without smoke obscuration. Most subjects learn quickly, but performance correlated with individual 3D spatial skills. We are currently comparing performance of subjects trained with a non-immersive (laptop) based version of the task. If subjects can learn the 3D station configuration using a simple laptop based training technique, it will greatly facilitate configuration refresher training both at home and onboard the spacecraft.
. Submitted for Publication, 2006 June;. , Jun-2006
Proc of the 34th International Conference of Environmental Systems. 2004 July;1-7. , Jul-2004
. Submitted for Publication, 2006 June;. , Jun-2006
Aviat Space Env Med. 2006 Mar;77(3):349. , Mar-2006
Proceedings Bioastronautics Investigator's Workshop, 2005 January. , Jan-2005
. Submitted for Publication, 2006 June;. , Jun-2006
. Submitted for Publication, 2006 June;. , Jun-2006
. Submitted for Publication. , Jan-2006
. Submitted for Publication, 2006 June;. , Jun-2006
Proceedings of SPIE Volume: 5666:462-472, March 2005. ISBN: 9780819456397 , Mar-2005
International Conference on Artificial Reality and Telexistence ICAT 2004, November 30-December 4, 2004, presentation S10-3. , Nov-2004
Liu, Andrew ( Massachusetts Institute of Technology )
Jenkin, Michael ( York University )
Aoki, Hirofumi ( Massachusetts Institute of Technology )
Our goals are: 1) To quantify how environmental geometric “frame” and object “polarity” cues determine human visual orientation, to support engineering of spacecraft and work areas. 2) To develop reliable means for quantifying head-movement-contingent oscillopsia. 3 To determine whether preflight virtual reality techniques can improve astronaut 3D spatial memory and navigation abilities by reducing “direction vertigo”, and teaching ISS configuration and emergency egress routes. 4) To improve astronaut teleoperation performance by taking into account the mental object rotation and “perspective taking” abilities of individuals while training and during operations.
Inflight spatial disorientation, spatial memory, navigation and teleoperation problems, and oscillopsia during re-entry and after landing have been identified as neurovestibular risks by Shuttle, Mir and ISS astronauts, NASA’s Critical Path Roadmap, the Neurovestibular Adaptation Team Strategic Plan, and a National Academy of Sciences committee report. NRA 03-OBPR-04 solicits research to determine what spacecraft architectures, interior visual cues, and preflight orientation training techniques will minimize inflight disorientation.
The project utilizes the unique virtual reality research capabilities at York and MIT. Six sets of experiments and extensions are proposed: 1) Measuring the effect of environmental geometry (“frame”) cues using psychophysical techniques (York). 2) Assessing the influence of polarized objects on self-orientation perception using psychophysical judgments (York). 3) Assessing the extent and pattern of head-contingent oscillopsia and visual motion (York). 4) Effect of training module orientation on inflight direction vertigo (MIT). 5) Influence of relative body orientation in preflight visual orientation and egress training (MIT). 6) Correlation of spatial abilities with simulated space station remote manipulator training performance(MIT).
International Conference on Artificial Reality and Telexistence ICAT 2004, November 30-December 4, 2004, presentation S10-3. , Nov-2004
Shebilske, Wayne ( Wright State University )
S., Jeffrey ( Dartmouth College )
C., Andrew ( University of California )
Bock, Otmar ( German Sport University )
Harris, Laurence ( York University )
Jenkin, Michael ( York University )
M., Andrew ( Massachusetts Instiute of Technology )
Wolfgang, Stuerzlinger ( York University )


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